Recently I've gotten a taste of real offroading on my HS. It was great fun and the bike is more than capable, it reminds me of riding something like a XL650 but without all the ground clearance.
At this point I have little to share but I thought a thread to solicit tips from more seasoned riders would be beneficial to myself and others looking to get dirty on their Ducatis.

Besides having ground clearance concerns while riding my HS I also found that the front suspension tends to beat you up over rough surfaces at low speeds. When I had the space to ride faster over the rough things improved considerably. Any suggestions on slowly traversing rocky terrain with the stock suspension in a smoother manner?

I found that having ABS on was best on soft, sandy or muddy conditions to keep the front wheel tracking while braking. But there were times, especially on steep downhills with loose rock where I wanted to skid-steer with the back wheel but couldn't pull it off with ABS on. Since we cannot disable ABS on a per wheel basis what is a good compromise setting to allow for rear wheel lockup without front wheel lockup?
Perhaps a bike mod that allows this?

Included as an integral part of the Ducati Safety Pack (DSP), the 2013 Hypermotards are equipped with the Bosch ABS 9MP controlled Brembo braking system, an impressive combination of state-of-the-art security and proven performance. Shorter stopping distances with enhanced stability are vital prerequisites for all motorcycles, but adding full Riding Mode interaction now takes Hypermotard braking to the next level. From the 3-level programmed system, level 1 enables front only ABS, intended for the track-oriented Hypermotard SP, while level 2 delivers high braking performances with reduced rear lift-up prevention for sport-oriented road use and level 3 the most braking stability with maximum lift-up prevention.

I totally agree about finesse and regular dirt bikes have no need for fancy technology. The Hyper is a different beast though, its heavier, makes much more horsepower, and has lower ground clearance than most average dirtbikes. Although I've said riding one off-road reminds me of a XL650 the differences between the two bikes are very evident in the rough.

It takes a little special finesse for the Hyperstrada to negotiate rough terrain than you'd use on a dirtbike. That's what I'm trying to discuss.

Faster is better for smoothing out bad spots but is not always practical. I'm wondering if maybe there's some body english or a certain tire pressure that can help alleviate the beating you get from the stiff forks when you have no choice but to tractor over the rockies. I personally found standing up to help but that's a solution with other drawbacks when facing extended periods of rut diving. Standing up for me requires me to stand up in a hunched over position which gets uncomfortable quickly and at slow speeds feels unstable.
What else can I try?

I think everything will have to be compromised . Play around with tyre pressures and suspension settings . Also set the sag on the rear shock . All these tweeks will help ..... but only a little .
The Hyper is not really set up for serious off road .

I'd use engine braking and rear brake for slowing. Maybe touch the front on hard dirt. Being in the right gear is a good thing to make this work.

On tougher stuff, ride with a friend - if it falls on you, you'll never get it off. I know.

When in doubt, give it gas. Once again, being in the right gear to take some weight off the front.

But then again, I pretty much suck off road, but I've survived some pretty tough stuff. The best part about off road, is hitting tarmac, gunning it, and thinking what a great idea tar is. But you do see nice things.

I'd use engine braking and rear brake for slowing. Maybe touch the front on hard dirt. Being in the right gear is a good thing to make this work.

On tougher stuff, ride with a friend - if it falls on you, you'll never get it off. I know.

When in doubt, give it gas. Once again, being in the right gear to take some weight off the front.

But then again, I pretty much suck off road, but I've survived some pretty tough stuff. The best part about off road, is hitting tarmac, gunning it, and thinking what a great idea tar is. But you do see nice things.

I did have the bike in Urban mode the entire time. I'll try tweaking it like you said.
Going back to the campground on the paved roads gave me an entirely new appreciation for what the HS can do on the road. In fact the entire off-road thing has made me so much more confident in riding the machine anywhere now.

I did have the bike in Urban mode the entire time. I'll try tweaking it like you said.
Going back to the campground on the paved roads gave me an entirely new appreciation for what the HS can do on the road. In fact the entire off-road thing has made me so much more confident in riding the machine anywhere now.

Had the same experience. You get used to the bike moving under you, and realize it's all good.